SERVICES & TREATMENT

Epidural Injections for Chronic Pain Relief

This page will provide you with information about an epidural injection for chronic pain relief. For further details, please speak to your consultant.

What is an epidural injection?

An epidural injection is a pain management procedure which involves injecting local anaesthetics and steroids into an area of your body called the epidural space, which is near your spinal cord.

These drugs temporarily numb your nerves and help relieve your pain without putting you to sleep, whilst the steroids reduce inflammation and may make the pain relief last longer.

An epidural injection can be used for most people, usually giving a safe and effective form of pain relief. It is often used to help for the treatment of lower back pain. The pain relief generally lasts up to six weeks.

Are there different types of epidural?

Different types of epidural injection are used to manage pain in different parts of your body, depending on where on your spine it is administered (see Figure 1).